Power and Wealth
Chapter 1933 – Second Day of the Cultural Fair!
The next day.
Sunday.
Today is the second and final day of the Investment and Culture Festival. County officials and staff were already bustling early in the morning, continuing their work from yesterday. Everyone, except Dong Xuebing, who had returned late last night and then spent two hours with Zhang Longjuan, slept in.
Hotel.
In the luxury suite.
“Yawn.” A woman’s yawn came from beside him.
Dong Xuebing was also stirred awake, groggily opening his eyes to see Zhang Longjuan lying beside him, stretching in the nude. He mumbled a bit, then turned over and closed his eyes again, too tired to think. But suddenly remembering something, he shot up, rubbing his eyes and grabbing his watch from the nightstand. “Damn, it’s already past nine! The festival has started!”
Late, late!
Dong Xuebing slapped his forehead, searching around. “Where’s my phone?”
“Here it is, ha.” Zhang Longjuan picked it up from her side table and smiled as she handed it to him.
Dong Xuebing looked at his phone; there were several missed calls from Zhang Dongfang and his secretary, Su Yan, all around seven or eight o’clock. “How could I not hear them? I don’t usually sleep that soundly, not with even a bit of noise.”
Zhang Longjuan explained, “Last night, I put your phone on silent while you were asleep. You looked tired, so I figured I’d let you sleep longer.”
Dong Xuebing sighed. “I’ve got things to do.”
Zhang Longjuan shrugged. “Your side would have continued working just fine without you.”
Dong Xuebing sighed again, knowing Zhang Longjuan was looking out for him. Seeing how late it was, he didn’t rush. He lit a cigarette and offered one to Zhang Longjuan, too.
Zhang Longjuan shook her head. “I’m quitting smoking starting today.”
Dong Xuebing suddenly remembered, “Oh yeah, you’re planning to have a child.” He hesitated, then put out his cigarette. “Are you going to Central Park today?”
Zhang Longjuan nodded. “Yep. I’ll go a bit later. I’ll be there to cheer you on. How much are you trying to get your sister to invest this time?”
Dong Xuebing waved his hand. “No need. Last time, I needed your help because there was no other choice. Zhenshui County is too poor; the economic environment is not good. You can’t attract investors there. This time is different. Jiao Lin County has overall decent strength. With the success of this Investment and Culture Festival, everything is set, and now we need the right push. I’ll push hard for the next couple of weeks; I should be able to bring in a lot of investors. You do not need friendship investments; it is not worth it. But if there’s a good project that you think can make money and is worth investing in, that’s fine too.”
Zhang Longjuan nodded. “Alright, I’ll take a look this afternoon.”
Dong Xuebing’s hand went to her bottom again; he couldn’t sit still without fiddling with something. Zhang Longjuan’s butt was especially pleasing to touch.
Zhang Longjuan gave him a playful look. “Still want more?”
Dong Xuebing sighed. “Forget it, no time.”
“Ah-ha.” Zhang Longjuan smiled and rubbed her belly. “You sure are something at night, huh? After such a busy day, you still have all that energy. Not bad. This time, it’s a hundred percent going to happen. Ha, my baby.” As she rubbed her belly, Zhang Longjuan’s eyes were full of motherly love. “Hurry up and come out. Grow up fast for your mom to rely on you.” Then she waved at Dong Xuebing. “Come here, talk to your child for a moment. I think I’ll be leaving tomorrow or the day after.”
Dong Xuebing sighed. “It’s not even pregnant yet; it can’t hear anything.”
“What are you afraid of?” Zhang Longjuan laughed. “If you don’t talk now, she won’t return to the country once your sister is pregnant. You’ll have nothing to say then!”
Zhang Longjuan seemed in high spirits today—actually, she always seemed this happy whenever Dong Xuebing saw her. Even if nothing was happening, Zhang Longjuan could laugh for half an hour by herself, always vibrant and full of life. Dong Xuebing couldn’t recall ever seeing her downcast or unhappy. Perhaps this positive attitude has contributed to Zhang Longjuan’s successful career. It’s likely one of the reasons Dong Xuebing appreciates her, aside from physical attraction.
Morning.
Around ten o’clock.
Dong Xuebing arrived fashionably late in his car.
As he entered the park, many officials and staff from Jiao Lin County saw him and greeted him without feeling that he was late. There were too many things happening yesterday, and everyone knew Dong Xuebing was the one who prevented a public incident, handled all the preparations, and socialized with investors. He was the last to leave last night, later than several junior staff members. Leaders are just human; they need rest, and everyone understands that. They all knew how hard Dong Xuebing had been working these days.
In the park.
Today, there were far fewer people than yesterday, but the crowd was still impressive, ranging from a few thousand to tens of thousands. The scene was still lively.
Dong Xuebing glanced around but didn’t head to the project booths. Instead, he rubbed his empty stomach and decided to get food from the food stalls first. It was already late, no rush and Zhang Longjuan was right—work should be balanced with rest. Even if he weren’t there, the show would go on. Dong Xuebing took his role too seriously, constantly feeling that he needed to be the one to step up. But after relaxing and reflecting, many things weren’t as complex as he imagined.
“Lamb meat paomo!”
“Special snacks and local delicacies available!”
“Authentic spicy soup, seven yuan a bowl!”
The stall owners’ shouts echoed, with delicious aromas wafting through the air.
Dong Xuebing’s stomach growled as soon as he smelled it, so he quickly moved towards a stall and decided on a bowl of lamb meat paomo.
“Ah!”
“Isn’t that the magician from yesterday?”
“Yeah, that’s the county party secretary, Dong Xuebing.”
“I saw it on TV yesterday! It’s Secretary Dong!”
Dong Xuebing had only been in the county briefly and wasn’t often on TV. Besides, many people didn’t follow politics, so few recognized him. However, after his performance at the festival yesterday, many people in Jiao Lin County recognized him from the live event or TV broadcast. Dong Xuebing’s impressive magic performance left a lasting impression on everyone.
If it were an ordinary leader, the public might still feel a bit of awe, but Dong Xuebing’s casual and humorous approach at the festival showed he wasn’t a stiff, bureaucratic leader. Plus, he looked gentle and youthful and had no apparent bureaucratic aura, which made people warm up to him. Many stall owners were eager to engage with him, greeting him enthusiastically.
“Secretary Dong, your performance yesterday was amazing!”
“You haven’t had breakfast yet. Come eat here!”
“Come to my stall, Secretary Dong! I’m not boasting, but try our local snacks; I guarantee you’ll like them!”
Dong Xuebing smiled in response to everyone’s enthusiasm. “Thank you all. I’ll try them when I get the chance. Right now, I’m craving a bowl of lamb meat paomo.”
Hearing this, a dozen stall owners didn’t press further.
However, the lamb meat paomo vendor suddenly became energized, laughing heartily and immensely proud. “Secretary Dong, please, let me make you a bowl immediately!”
Dong Xuebing habitually asked, “How much?”
The vendor shook his head. “It’s on the house. Just consider it a little thank you from us.”
“No, I can’t let you do that,” Dong Xuebing laughed. “The price is what it is. I can’t afford to be ripped off, you know. My salary isn’t that much.”
The vendor chuckled. “Not at all! The way the county organized this cultural festival was fantastic! You don’t know how much business we did yesterday. Originally, we planned to sell ingredients for two days, but by 10 AM yesterday, everything was gone! So many people had to send someone back to restock. We made a killing yesterday, and today is almost the same. All thanks to you. A bowl of paomo isn’t a big deal.”
Another food vendor added, “Yeah, with so many customers yesterday, everyone’s feedback was great! They all spread the word to their friends and family; today, we have even more people bringing their friends. Our little stands and some county stores will benefit in a few days!”
“Well, that’s a good thing,” Dong Xuebing said, pulling up a chair. “But you don’t have to thank me. You all make good food, and you have good skills. Besides, the county collects rent from your stalls.”
“But we should still thank you,” the vendor insisted, pushing the chef aside and cooking for Dong Xuebing himself. In no time, he brought a big bowl of lamb meat paomo. “Try it!”
Dong Xuebing picked up his chopsticks. “Mmm, delicious!”
Meanwhile, another food vendor came over and placed a plate of snacks on Dong Xuebing’s table. “Here, Secretary, enjoy this.” Then he quickly left.
Dong Xuebing hurriedly protested, “Hey, wait! I’ll pay for it!”
“No, no!” The vendor refused adamantly.
But after finishing the lamb meat paomo, Dong Xuebing paid up at each stall separately. He couldn’t just walk away; it wasn’t about saving face; he was mindful of his role as the county party secretary.
After eating, Dong Xuebing wiped his mouth and left. The number of people coming to eat was growing, and Dong Xuebing couldn’t keep occupying a seat. Watching the booming business at these stalls, Dong Xuebing felt a deep sense of satisfaction. While this was just a tiny part of the cultural festival, Dong Xuebing saw the potential for enormous future growth in Jiao Lin County. It was about doing real things for the people and winning their genuine support for the leadership team under his guidance. Dong Xuebing felt that his appointment wasn’t in vain.
Although he was a bureaucrat, Dong Xuebing genuinely enjoyed bringing happiness to the people. It was an elevated feeling, one he never wanted to lose.
Translator’s notes:
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